Jason Pearce

There has been a lot of news about blogs and podcasting. Staying on topic, I wrote a story on Third Goal called “Podcasting in the Peace Corps.”

I even found and re-posted the two podcasts I recorded as a Peace Corps volunteer in 2002. Man, I was way before my time. I had a personal website, a blog, a photo blog via Ofoto, a listserve, and even two podcasts (July 2002 & August 2002).

No wonder I scared the hell out of country director Earl Brown. He didn’t know what most of this stuff did.

Today, most volunteers likely communicate via email and many have their own blogs. Won’t be long before more Peace Corps volunteer begin creating their own podcasts much like mine.

Today was an interesting and good day for Third Goal, the new community blogging site I built for Peace Corps volunteers last week. I received two phone calls about the site: one from a reporter and another from a notable blogger.

The Reporter

Laura Vanderkam, a reporter for the DC Examiner, is doing a story on how volunteers are creating new literature about their experiences as they’re happening. She discovered Third Goal as well as my personal site and wanted an interview. She has reported for USA Today, Reader’s Digest, Washington Times, among others. If you want to read more about this topic, check out this posting at Third Goal.

The Blogger

Actually, I get contacted by a lot of bloggers. But this one, Ze Frank, is a very popular blogger. Ze has an upcoming speaking engagement for SXSW about “blogging across borders - the digital content divide.” He thought I’d be a good person to speak with before attending the conference next week.

I enjoyed speaking with both Laura and Ze. I can only hope that such attention brings favorable light on Third Goal and the Peace Corps volunteers who share their stories. Thank you both for your interest.

In the past two weeks, I’ve launched several websites. Here’s a quick summary.

North American Interfraternal Foundation

Description: The North American Interfraternal Foundation exists to promote and support leadership, educational, and research initiatives that advance the North American college fraternal experience by giving scholarships, grants and recognition.

Tools: I coded most of this one by hand. I’m am using the handy FormMail PHP script to help me process those lengthy applications.

Third Goal

Description: Third Goal provides Peace Corps volunteers an easy and independent way to promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of all Americans. Peace Corps volunteers may register for a free blog and online journal.

Tools: WordPress is the CRM that drives the site.

Kip Zurcher

Description: A blog for boss and friend Kip Zurcher. Kip is wanting to use a blog to communicate with the board and other audiences.

Tools: WordPress is the CRM that drives the site.

Kipedia

Description: A wiki for boss and friend Kip Zurcher. The wiki may be used by many to flesh out ideas and projects.

Tools: MediaWiki is the wiki that drives the site.

Frankly, I’m most excited about Third Goal. I created the site to provide Peace Corps volunteers a free, easy, and independent way to share their stories with the rest of the world; something I was deprived of doing when I was a volunteer.

By offering a consolidated venue for all Peace Corps volunteers, the public receives a concentrated resource of first-person experiences from worlds very different than their own and the volunteers receive protection in numbers. If the site grows to 50, 100, or even 1,000 users; is the Peace Corps going to kick them all out?

Actually, I think the Peace Corps has eased up on its policy of stripping its volunteers of their First Amendment rights. Though I still receive several emails and phone calls a month about Peace Corps issues from volunteers and parents, it’s been a long time since someone has reported conflicts with website content, email, or blogs.

Now that Third Goal is built, only time will tell if volunteers will come and use it.

When President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, he created three simple goals for the organization. The third goal was (and still is) to “Help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of all Americans.”

And so Third Goal was born.

Third Goal was created out of a desire to provide Peace Corps volunteers a free, easy, and independent way to share their stories with the rest of the world, not just Americans.

By offering a consolidated venue for all Peace Corps volunteers, the public receives a concentrated resource of first-person experiences from worlds very different than their own.

If you are a Peace Corps volunteer and would like to share your stories with others, you are invited to create an account. Third Goal will offer you a free place to log your experiences for others to read in real time. More so, your real-life stories will help shape Americans’ understanding of other peoples.

Your free blog awaits you. Register today to begin.